【Equipment Acquired: Mithril Armguard】

  【Equipment Acquired: Berserker's Cuirass】

  【Equipment Acquired: Petrifying Arrow】

  【Item Acquired: Unwavering Adamant Stone】

  【Item Acquired: Lucky Zephyr Charm】

  …

  The interface frantically updated with acquisition notifications. This was arguably the biggest win Mei had ever experienced in this space—thousands of items and equipment in a single sweep.

  It represented years of accumulation by the casino. In reality, the casino's assets were undoubtedly much larger, but a single payout of thousands of items was extraordinary.

  Mei was highly satisfied.

  Undoubtedly,

  The old man's methods were masterful; otherwise, he wouldn't have controlled this casino for decades. But his opponent was Mei, and the difference in their power was akin to a dimensional strike.

  The vast majority of this massive win consisted of Tier 2 equipment, with a few Tier 3 pieces and even several Tier 4 items, showcasing the casino's immense wealth.

  Vivian was incredulous.

  "You killed the casino owner?!"

  Her shock wasn't at the act itself, but at Mei's power. Liberty City's casino strictly adhered to the law of the jungle.

  The victor takes all.

  Whoever survived the gambling session received everything—including the casino's assets and ownership, all claimed with a winning gambling chip.

  She never expected Mei to actually eliminate the casino owner with a single shot, then stroll out of the casino.

  Truly terrifying!

  The casino owner was a big shot in Vivian's eyes, but insignificant to Mei. She paid it no mind, turning to enter another casino.

  Liberty City was full of casinos—hundreds of them, large and small.

  Vivian was stunned.

  "Again?"

  Her steps faltered; she hesitated. Mei was powerful, but the previous scare had left her legs weak; she truly didn't want to experience that again.

  Mei dispelled Vivian's apprehension with a single sentence.

  "If you don't want to be my guarantor, I'll find someone else. It'll just be a little more troublesome. But you'll get 20% of my winnings."

  "Of course, I'm willing!!"

  How much money had Mei won from that casino?

  1 billion Nak?

  10 billion Nak?

  Vivian didn't know; she only knew it was an astronomical sum, and it seemed poised to grow even larger. A lifetime opportunity!

  Vivian didn't care.

  With this windfall, she could become one of the wealthiest people in the world, living a life beyond her wildest dreams. Worth the risk!

  Biting her lip, Vivian entered the casino, once again signing as Mei's guarantor, her hand trembling slightly as she signed.

  Inside the casino, the gamble continued.

  Charles, dressed in a black suit with perfectly slicked-back hair, skillfully handled his cards, forcing his opponent to concede and forfeit his bet.

  Hum—

  Liberty City's Ideal descended, instantly draining the opponent's Willpower and transferring it to Charles, causing his strength to surge.

  Clearly,

  The stakes in this game were their respective strengths.

  "..."

  The opponent's face was grim, and he left angrily. Charles, however, felt his own power growing stronger, his sense of security and satisfaction soaring.

  He let out a sigh of relief.

  "Whew, that was close—"

  Honestly, he hadn't been entirely confident in that round. He'd almost lost, but luckily, his luck had held.

  Truly thrilling.

  In this type of gamble, a single lapse could lead to the complete loss of one's accumulated strength, a consequence few could bear.

  With powerful strength coursing through him, Charles's face brightened. He had reaped significant gains from this gamble, his strength growing exceptionally fast.

  "Almost there."

  He was almost strong enough to reach Tier 3.

  At that moment,

  A gunshot rang out. Charles noticed many people gathered around a certain gambling table. Curious, he approached and saw a man with a shattered skull being dragged away by security personnel.

  He asked someone nearby.

  "What happened?"

  "A crazy gambler bet his life and won seven rounds."

  Charles was astonished.

  "Seven rounds?"

  "Yeah."

  Amazing!

  Charles looked around but didn't recognize Mei—Mei changed her appearance each time she entered a new world—and decided to leave the casino for the day.

  So far,

  Only Chloe had successfully recognized Mei.

  Soon,

  Mei's actions attracted the casino's attention. She encountered the casino owner—unlike the previous one, this owner was a beautiful woman.

  The female owner was sharp and well-informed. She'd received news of the previous owner's death and, instead of creating a tense atmosphere, calmly poured Mei a glass of red wine.

  "I thought you'd stop while you were ahead. Seems your appetite is still considerable. So, one casino wasn't enough to satisfy you?"

  Mei stated plainly,

  "Not exactly."

  Faced with a challenge, the female owner wouldn't back down. She frequently faced overconfident challengers, and only by crushing them could she maintain her intimidating presence and control over the casino.

  Mei's elimination of a casino owner clearly demonstrated significant strength, yet the female owner showed no fear.

  Her expression was arrogant, her tone dismissive and contemptuous: "That old man was past his prime. You beat him, and you think you can beat me?"

  "..."

  Mei ignored the owner's words, appearing indifferent. She loaded a bullet into her revolver. The owner's expression darkened.

  She decided against further banter, also producing a revolver.

  "Since you want to die so badly, I'll grant your wish."

  With that,

  The owner infused her powerful Willpower into the bullet. She could shoot through a sea with this bullet, let alone an ordinary Willpower Awakener.

  Her heart pounded rapidly.

  Vivian gasped, too afraid to breathe.

  Simultaneously, both spun their revolvers, bullets whizzing past under the hammers. The owner wore a confident expression, activating a Tier 4 item that enhanced her luck.

  However,

  A more powerful, higher-dimensional force intervened, crushing and obliterating this enhanced luck. When the cylinder stopped, the bullet had shifted, placing a blank cartridge under the hammer.

  The owner pulled the trigger.

  Click!

  The trigger failed to fire.

  Instantly,

  Her pupils constricted.

  Simultaneously, Mei pulled her trigger.

  Bang!

  A bullet, imbued with causal force, pierced the owner's head in an instant, shattering all defenses. An expression of disbelief froze on her face as she fell lifelessly.

  Mei holstered her revolver.

  "Let's go."

  Waves of light, like brilliant stars, erupted—another spectacular, massive win.

  【Item Acquired: Luck Enhancement Earrings】

  【Item Acquired: Luck Enhancement Ring】

  【Item Acquired: Luck Enhancement Necklace】

  ...

  The casino owner's confidence stemmed not only from her powerful Willpower but also from a complete set of powerful luck equipment. With luck's blessing, she was the embodiment of a goddess of fortune.

  She possessed formidable Tier 4 strength.

  But only Tier 4.

  Unless she could transform her good luck into a concept, and simultaneously achieve Tier 6 strength, the owner couldn't resist Mei's causal power.

  And that would only be resistance.

  Not to mention Mei's ability to Limit Break to Tier 7, crushing lower-level beings with absolute superiority. Even amongst peers, combined with Truth Manifestation—a BUG-level ability—Mei could crush any opponent of the same grade.

  No matter what abilities they possessed.

  Truth Manifestation could reveal a countermeasure within minutes.

  As the victor in the gamble, Mei, after dealing with the owner, smoothly acquired everything in the casino, inheriting the owner's assets.

  A mountain of gold, silver, jewels, and treasures.

  A warehouse overflowing with divine weapons, demonic artifacts, and cursed objects. A portion, about 4000 items, were immediately looted by Mei after the owner's death.

  Added to the equipment from the casino, Mei now had over seven thousand pieces of equipment and items. The number of Tier 3 and Tier 4 items was also steadily increasing.

  The next bulk sale would be incredibly lucrative!

  Looking at the warehouse crammed with divine weapons, Vivian, despite having seen it once before in the upper casino, still couldn't suppress her excitement.

  She exclaimed excitedly, "Can I choose one item?"

  Mei didn't mind; she wouldn't be bringing anything that wasn't looted back to her spatial storage.

  "Go ahead."

  "Okay!"

  Vivian's eyes lit up as she made her selection. After a moment, she put a Tier 3 ring on her finger. It wasn't a divine artifact; it was a cursed object.

  Divine artifacts required no great cost to use. However, using demonic artifacts required paying a price, cursed objects being the most sinister.

  They forced others to pay the price for the wielder, the cost being incredibly high—even serving as a form of attack for the wielder.

  Vivian happily held up the ring. Although she had a share in the loot, she wouldn't have dared to take anything without Mei's permission. This was a supremely powerful being!

  "How is it?"

  Mei observed it, finding the cursed object well-suited to Vivian.

  "It's excellent."

  After obtaining their spoils, the two quickly moved to the next casino. Aware of Mei's seemingly overwhelming power, Vivian's courage had grown.

  Entering the casino, she was no longer nervous while signing the contract.

  In the third casino,

  Among the gamblers at a particular table was a familiar face: Civet, a member of the Diamond Legion, someone Mei had previously encountered in the Negative energy world. Civet was skilled at disguise, their gender unclear.

  Their main ability was that of a mysterious traveler—possessing the power to capture intelligence and clues from the void. Amongst their peers, they were a top-tier support-type Void Wanderer.

  Civet had just won a hand, but the endless stream of information flowing through the void distracted him. He couldn't fully decipher the clues hidden within this formless information.

  He only sensed unusual turbulence in the void's energy, as if a colossal celestial body had appeared in the universe. A terrifying gravitational pull was drawing vast amounts of energy, forming a massive energy vortex.

  "Something's about to happen?"

  He rubbed his temples, feeling uneasy. His inability to decipher the void's information heightened his anxiety until someone sat down opposite him.

  Mei and Civet met eyes.

  In an instant, a massive surge of information flooded the void. An intensely painful, perilous sensation assaulted Civet's senses. His pupils constricted violently, and he stood up in terror, his head throbbing, his heart feeling as if it were about to stop.

  "This feeling…"

  He recognized it. There was an entity in the void known as a Void Demon God—a superior being far surpassing the ordinary gods of this world.

  Civet, who could directly access the void's information, was now like an ordinary person suddenly gazing upon the true form of an outer god. The impact, like confronting truth itself, threatened to shatter his mind.

  This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

  "Aaaaa—"

  A heart-wrenching scream.

  Blood poured from Civet's eyes. Clutching their head, they frantically fled the casino, collapsing onto the ground outside, gasping for breath.

  Only then did the feeling of impending mental collapse gradually subside.

  "Demon God!"

  "Void Demon God!!!"

  Terror filled Civet's eyes. They seemed to have gone mad, their body trembling as they fled Liberty City. A Void Demon God was here!

  A Tier 6 void superior being!!

  Recalling their previous encounter in the Negative energy world, Civet felt this was far more terrifying. At least then, they could somewhat observe the entity.

  This time, even looking brought death.

  They were truly terrified.

  Vivian was astonished.

  "What was that?"

  Mei remained silent, continuing her gambles. Within a short fortnight, she had swept through Liberty City, acquiring almost every casino.

  Later, realizing the seriousness of the situation, the casino owners united against Mei, only to be utterly defeated by her in their gambling matches.

  The gamblers watched a thrilling spectacle.

  The birth of a legend.

  In recent years, countless people had come to Liberty City, bringing divine weapons, demonic artifacts, and cursed objects to the gambling tables, only to have them seized by the casinos. Now, all of it belonged to Mei.

  Mei didn't care how many divine weapons her casino warehouse now held; she only knew that this sweep had yielded 1,058,649 pieces of equipment and items.

  The value was incalculable.

  Undoubtedly, it would be an astronomical number. This sale would give Lina a massive surprise; it contained quite a few Tier 4 items.

  It was unlikely another world would have such abundance. This world's ancient history, with its countless years, had accumulated an unimaginable number of divine weapons.

  Outside Liberty City's largest casino, a crowd watched Mei and Vivian enter, incredulously saying, "This is the last one."

  "Probably."

  "If even this casino owner loses, it means the entire Liberty City changes hands. That would be interesting."

  "Maybe…"

  This was Liberty City's largest casino, and its owner was the true ruler of the city. Given Mei's all-or-nothing gambling style, only one could survive their match.

  The winner.

  Would completely control Liberty City.

  Aside from that, Sunia, the fat man, had lost to this casino. Although it was a gamble with his life, they hadn't immediately taken his life.

  Hence the commission.

  Moreover,

  This was the location of a fragment of truth.

  After Mei entered the casino, it was unlike the bustling atmosphere of previous days; instead, a quiet stillness prevailed. A white-haired middle-aged man stood in the center of the hall, waiting.

  "Welcome, esteemed guests."

  The middle-aged man led Mei and Vivian before the casino owner. Vivian had expected a powerful figure with an imposing presence.

  Instead,

  Tch—

  A snot-nosed little brat, looking like a spoiled child, stood before them, his face arrogant as he snorted coldly, "You two have quite the reputation in Liberty City lately!"

  Mei was momentarily surprised.

  Vivian couldn't help but mutter, "This is just a little kid!"

  Hearing this,

  The brat's face turned purple with rage.

  "Insolent!"

  Vivian, startled, hid behind Mei. Mei, intrigued, appraised the brat. "You know the purpose of my visit."

  "Of course."

  The brat's expression soured. "You accepted a commission from the Adventurer's Guild to bring back that fat man. Hmph, don't waste your effort; he won't return with you."

  That wasn't Mei's concern.

  "I'll simply return him to fulfill the commission. Whether he's willing or not is irrelevant to me."

  Immediately,

  The brat became even more displeased, confirming again with Mei, "You intend to gamble with me, wagering your lives to determine the victor?"

  "Of course."

  "Hmph, you're overestimating yourselves!"

  The brat sneered condescendingly. Mei silently took out a revolver, opened the cylinder, loaded a bullet, then spun the cylinder, the sound crisp and sharp.

  The atmosphere grew heavy with tension.

  Thick with murderous intent.

  Click.

  Vivian nervously swallowed. Just as she anticipated a spectacular confrontation, the brat, with astonishing speed, knelt and kowtowed.

  "I'm sorry, I was too arrogant just now!"

  …

  A sudden, heavy silence filled the air.

  "A???"

  Vivian almost dislocated her hip from the unexpected turn of events. The previous casino owners had all fought to the death, refusing to yield.

  Why was this one so scared?

  At that moment,

  Vivian felt an icy cold gun barrel pressed against her forehead. The middle-aged man who had led them in had silently raised his gun.

  "If you dare harm my son, I'll kill your friend."

  "???!!!"

  Vivian's body went numb. Why did everyone like pointing guns at her? She was easy to bully, wasn't she?

  Mei, disliking wasted time, cut to the chase. "Let's dispense with this childish probing. Bring Sunia here. You're the true controller of this casino and Liberty City. I don't want to involve others in our gamble."

  "Excellent."

  In reality,

  The middle-aged man and his son jointly controlled the casino and Liberty City, but the son only possessed this casino, Nak, and half of Liberty City.

  The other half of Liberty City's control and all the divine artifacts in this casino belonged to the middle-aged man. His thinking was simple: even if he died, his son would at least be financially secure.

  He never intended for his son to actually gamble with Mei; it was a test, a small diversion.

  The middle-aged man had obtained control of Liberty City by seizing it from his predecessor, undoubtedly possessing extraordinary strength.

  Even with Liberty City's Ideal blessing—the strongest luck in the world—he lacked confidence in winning against Mei in a gamble.

  He couldn't fathom Mei's abilities. She seemed to wield a power beyond luck, the effortless suppression of his lucky equipment being the best proof.

  Since Mei's talent had been revealed, he had been observing her every move, yet still hadn't grasped her strength. He sighed, "It's been many years since I've encountered someone as powerful as you—powerful enough to make me lack confidence. The revolver is a bit childish; let's have a real fight."

  Perhaps he had a chance.

  After all,

  He had numerous equipment and items, making him a top Tier 4 combatant, and he also had Liberty City's luck on his side.

  Mei accepted the middle-aged man's proposal.

  "As you wish."

  Then,

  Boom!

  The middle-aged man erupted with terrifying power. Instantly, Liberty City blazed with blinding light, streams of radiance converging upon him from every corner of the city.

  Hum—

  Daylight turned into night. The sky filled with countless stars—not actual stars, but the equipment and items the middle-aged man had accumulated over the years.

  Such a concentrated display of power, the vast aura was like a god descending upon the world, far surpassing Coria's transformation into the Thunder God.

  The surrounding space warped to the extreme, separating the middle-aged man and Mei from the real world, placing them in a separate space where they could fight freely.

  Without further ado,

  The myriad stars instantly fell, transforming into a radiant cage, sealing Mei's actions and powers. The middle-aged man gripped a longsword.

  He unleashed a powerful strike, seemingly intending to cleave the entire world. But the instant he swung, Mei, unseen, revealed herself.

  Boom!

  An overwhelmingly terrifying pressure shattered the radiant confinement in an instant, revealing a majestic figure emerging from the void, showcasing the might of a superior Demon God.

  Mei's gaze fell upon the middle-aged man. With just a glance, his previously proud, formidable power crumbled almost completely within a millionth of a second.

  Spacetime froze.

  Then,

  Bang!

  The alternate spacetime couldn't withstand even a second and collapsed. The two were once again back in the real world. The middle-aged man was utterly terrified, experiencing a fear unlike anything he'd ever known.

  "You… who… are you…"

  Crackle!

  Before he could finish, his body shattered like glass, unable to withstand the crushing power of spacetime, leaving not a trace behind.

  Truth Manifestation's death power, crushing at the Tier 6 level, obliterated any regenerative abilities of the divine weapons, demonic artifacts, and cursed objects, completely eliminating the middle-aged man.

  Causal influence fulfilled.

  Vivian was dazed.

  "Wha… what happened?"

  A battle?

  It was over?

  As the middle-aged man was completely annihilated by the collapsing spacetime, the radiant light, like the previous myriad stars, swirled around Mei, and a large number of equipment and items spilled forth.

  Mei collected them into her Personal Spatial Storage.

  The brat stood silently beside her, calmly accepting his father's death. This was the challenge his father had inevitably faced when he chose to control Liberty City.

  He knew it in his heart.

  Just as his father had seized Liberty City from someone else years ago.

  Mei spoke, "Bring the fat man, Sunia, here."

  "Please wait."

  The brat, pragmatic, revealed his true nature, respectfully bringing Sunia to Mei.

  Sunia was a few years older than the brat, yet despite being eighteen or nineteen, he acted like a child. Almost comically obese, he surprisingly got along well with the brat.

  After arriving in Liberty City, he befriended the brat, and this connection prevented him from being immediately eliminated after losing his life in the game.

  He remained here, playing with the brat all day long.

  Playing to his heart's content.

  "No, I don't want to go back!"

  At the mention of being taken back, Sunia immediately started crying and rolling around on the floor. He was eating, drinking, and having fun here; he didn't want to return.

  "No, no, no! I don't want to go back! I don't want to go back!"

  Such a spoiled child.

  Mei never indulged such behavior.

  She loaded six bullets into a revolver, startling Sunia. "You like gambling so much; let's make a bet. If you win, you can go back home."

  At this point, everything in the casino, except for the Nak in the brat's hands, belonged to Mei, including Sunia's life.

  The chubby boy was stunned.

  "What if I lose?"

  "I'll bring your body back."

  Hearing this,

  The chubby boy's face fell, and he trembled.

  He understood why she'd loaded the revolver; this gamble was clearly meant to kill him. Terrified, the chubby boy immediately scrambled to his feet.

  "No bet, no bet! I'll just go back!"

  This was a genuine killer. Over the past half-month, she'd eliminated countless people in Liberty City. He wasn't joking; the chubby boy didn't dare gamble.

  Sunia carefully bid farewell to the brat.

  "See you later! I'll come visit again!"

  Mei had no interest in managing Liberty City, leaving it to the brat. The hundreds of casinos had undergone a thorough purge; Liberty City would soon be bustling with activity.

  Regardless of his age, the brat was very capable. With half of Liberty City under his control, practically no one could touch him.

  Click!

  A heavy metal door creaked open, revealing a vault within the casino. Mei went inside and directly picked up an arrow.

  She snapped it in two.

  Hum—

  Suddenly,

  A mystical aura of truth rippled through the void. Without appearing beside Mei, another fragment of the Book of Truth appeared in her hands.

  The repair progress surged.

  【Repair Progress: 34,165/100,000】

  With the repair progress surpassing 30,000, the third upgrade task was complete.

  【Upgrade Task 3 · Complete】

  【Receiving one random reward】

  【Personal Spatial Storage · Tier 6 ?】

  ——

  【Item: Personal Spatial Storage ·Universe】

  【Type: Item】

  【Grade: Tier 6】

  【Description: A Personal Spatial Storage large enough to contain entire universes and worlds. Living beings and objects can be stored within. Given the resources, you can even create your own world inside.】

  ——

  Mei was slightly surprised; she hadn't expected a random reward to upgrade an existing item—and not just a minor enhancement.

  It was a direct upgrade to Tier 6.

  Originally, the 【Personal Spatial Storage ·Galaxy】 could contain the space of a galaxy. After upgrading to Tier 6, it could now contain an entire universe.

  A massive upgrade!

  Mei had accomplished her goals in Liberty City. Without lingering, she took Sunia aboard an airship to the nearest Adventurer's Guild branch.

  "What about me?"

  Vivian didn't know where to go. Bewildered, she pointed at herself. The Liberty City escapade had been a surreal journey, and she hadn't had time to recover.

  Mei didn't care where Vivian went; she was merely a tool.

  "Go wherever you want."

  "Okay."

  Vivian received a large sum of money—hundreds of millions of Nak, more than she could count—and numerous protective artifacts.

  She was now a walking treasure trove.

  Her safety was guaranteed.

  Suddenly wealthy, Vivian found life a little dull. Without Mei's guidance, she didn't know what to do.

  Whoosh—

  The airship slowly ascended. Vivian watched Mei depart, reflecting on her recent experiences. She would likely remember this period for the rest of her life.

  After a long while,

  "Maybe I'll buy a territory and become a queen?"

  Vivian had a sudden idea.

  ...

  On the airship,

  "Sigh—"

  Sunia leaned against the porthole, watching Liberty City grow smaller and smaller, his mood plummeting. At that moment, several powerfully built men in black suits approached.

  Seeing them,

  Sunia felt a pang of fear.

  Before they could speak, Mei, sitting beside him, said, "Skip the pleasantries; we're short on time. Get to the point; I don't like beating around the bush."

  "Forgive our intrusion, Madam."

  The lead man gave Mei a polite smile. "Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Arnold, the regional director of the Tulip Agency. We're here for you."

  The Tulip Agency.

  The most powerful organization on this land. Calling it a governing body wouldn't be quite accurate; it was a powerful organization dedicated to maintaining the world's balance and order.

  Through the Adventurer's Guild, the Treasure Hunter's Guild, and several other organizations, the Tulip Agency maintained a delicate balance of economic, military, and technological power among the hundred kingdoms.

  It possessed overwhelming strength over all nations and organizations.

  As the highest regional director, Arnold possessed genuine Tier 3 strength. Compared to the monsters in Liberty City, he might not be as powerful.

  But compared to those outside Liberty City, Tier 3 was unbelievably strong.

  The situation in Liberty City was unique. Power and artifacts were treated as gambling chips, constantly shifting and changing hands. The convergence of these forces naturally created extraordinarily powerful monsters.

  Like those casino owners.

  Mei single-handedly swept through Liberty City—a shocking piece of news. The Tulip Agency, regardless of other considerations, possessed unparalleled intelligence-gathering capabilities.

  They immediately found Mei.

  Not for any other reason, but for the other half of Liberty City's control she held. Even if they only obtained ownership of the casinos in Mei's hands, it would be worth a significant price.

  Arnold conveyed the Tulip Agency's message, careful not to sound threatening. His tone was extremely conciliatory and respectful.

  This killer had single-handedly purged Liberty City's casinos, her strength unfathomable. Neither the Tulip Agency nor Arnold personally dared to offend her.

  "Madam, if you would relinquish control of that half of Liberty City, we will unconditionally meet any demands you make!"

  Mei found the control useless, and she wasn't interested in doing anything detrimental. "You want what's in my hands. Consider carefully what you're willing to offer in exchange, then tell me."

  Mei treated the transaction with detached indifference. In this world, with her power, there was nothing she couldn't obtain.

  She didn't bother concerning herself with such trivial matters. If the Tulip Agency wanted it, let them consider the appropriate price.

  "This…"

  Arnold looked troubled.

  Mei hadn't specified her conditions, making it difficult for them. Control of Liberty City was priceless and couldn't be assessed in terms of money or goods.

  This individual had just swept through Liberty City; the amount of money and artifacts in her possession was unknown. The only things the Tulip Agency could offer were honor, power, and status.

  Without exaggeration, Liberty City's value could equal that of a large, prosperous nation.

  Trading a nation for Liberty City?

  A tempting idea.

  But unrealistic.

  The Tulip Agency was an organization that maintained order, not a governing body. They didn't control any nation and couldn't offer a nation as a bargaining chip.

  Moreover,

  Such an action would be inappropriate.

  "Could you grant us some time to consider?"

  "Certainly."

  Soon,

  A confidential communication arrived at the Tulip Agency headquarters. A stooped old man meticulously reviewed the confidential document's contents, word for word.

  Nearby,

  A mature woman with long, braided hair leaned in curiously.

  "Well?"

  The old man cleared his throat and handed the confidential document to the mature woman. "Arnold's contact with that individual went well; she wasn't resistant."

  "That's good news."

  "What do you think we should offer? We must secure Liberty City; this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, one we cannot miss."

  "Her strength is unfathomable; she doesn't lack money or artifacts. We can offer information, honor, status, and power."

  The old man pondered for a moment.

  "Since Liberty City is a Willpower Vessel, let's offer a Willpower Vessel of comparable value. Its worth varies greatly depending on the individual; I believe she'll be satisfied."

  "Which one?"

  "The promised spirit."

  "I fear that's insufficient. Let's offer something more substantial. How about granting her the title of Grand Marshal? That encompasses honor, power, and prestige."

  "That's feasible."

  Grand Marshals were the highest-ranking combat forces within the Tulip Agency. Their status and power surpassed even the kings of various nations. Below Grand Marshals were Lieutenant Generals and then Major Generals.

  The Tulip Agency currently had only two Grand Marshals. The combat strength of each was unknown, but everyone knew they were incredibly powerful.

  Lieutenant Generals, for the most part, possessed Tier 4 strength, with a wide variance in actual power. They were the backbone of the Tulip Agency.

  Major Generals were the highest regional directors.

  Like Arnold.

  Their average strength was around Tier 3.

  "Report!"

  An intelligence officer rushed into the office, presenting a report. "Director Avery, Lieutenant General Marianna, Elephant turtle has awakened and is moving toward the southwest!"

  Immediately,

  Avery and Marianna's faces fell. Avery immediately ordered, "Immediately notify the nations along its path to evacuate their citizens. Begin preparing post-disaster reconstruction materials and operations. Marianna, please oversee the affected nations."

  Without high-ranking Tulip Agency officials present, the situation would descend into chaos as nations would shift blame and responsibility onto each other.

  "Understood."

  Marianna accepted the order.

  Soon,

  On the airship,

  Arnold relayed the headquarters' decision to Mei. After presenting the terms, he couldn't help but feel nervous, fearing Mei's rejection.

  Before Arnold even began, Mei already knew the outcome of the Tulip Agency's discussion. Few things in this world could escape her perception.

  The Tulip Agency headquarters was certainly no exception.

  Arnold anxiously awaited Mei's confirmation, his heart sinking until Mei nodded in agreement.

  "Agreed."

  "We are eternally grateful, Madam!"

  Arnold was overjoyed.

  The promised spirit and the title of Grand Marshal were undoubtedly weighty, but securing Liberty City made it worthwhile. For an organization, Liberty City was a prime breeding ground for high-level combatants.

  Its importance was self-evident.

  A few days later,

  The airship arrived at a branch of the Adventurer's Guild. Even before landing, the entire parking area was completely sealed off.

  Aboard the airship, the passengers looked astonished.

  "What's going on?"

  "What happened?"

  They disembarked in a daze and saw a tall, slender mature woman striding towards them. Her powerful aura caused people to instinctively make way.

  Marianna, a longsword strapped to her waist, came to greet Mei. She was overseeing aid to the affected nations and had brought Mei's promised items.

  A chance encounter, as well.

  She handed the items to Mei with a confident and unassuming demeanor. "Madam, these are the items promised to you. Please accept them."

  Mei nodded.

  Truth Manifestation activated, instantly extracting the other half of Liberty City's control from her, along with ownership of the casinos, sealing them within a crystalline container.

  Truth Manifestation's manifestation of abilities and equipment was temporary, but any alterations or relationships created through that power would persist.

  The control of Liberty City already existed and wouldn't vanish with the dissipation of Truth Manifestation's effect.

  "This is what you wanted."

  With that,

  The floating crystal landed in Marianna's hands. Mei said nothing more, taking Sunia to the branch office to register.

  Marianna watched Mei's back, her expression growing serious.

  "How powerful!"

  Without engaging in combat, merely sensing her movements, she knew this was a terrifyingly powerful being, more than worthy of the title of Grand Marshal.

  "Lieutenant General Marianna!"

  Arnold gave a crisp military salute. The Tulip Agency used a military structure; they were all, technically, military personnel, hence the use of military ranks.

  Marianna instructed, "Major General Arnold, you'll accompany this crystal to headquarters. Several other Lieutenant Generals will follow; you will escort this crystal together."

  "Yes!"

  The importance of half the control of Liberty City was self-evident; no level of caution was excessive. If it weren't impossible, Director Avery would have dispatched a Grand Marshal to escort it.

  Although not yet publicly announced, the commission had just been given to Mei. She was now a Grand Marshal, albeit a unique one.

  She wouldn't be bound by the Tulip Agency's commands.