Immortal Paladin

[POV: Ding Cai]

Ding Cai got to work as soon as the supplies were secured.

Research facilities dotted the circumference of the Tower, each established by a different faction from across the Hollowed World. Despite their diverse origins, all of them answered to Peng Ru, the head researcher personally appointed by the Holy Emperor himself.

The Empress had little power over how these research stations and their affiliated sub-factions operated. There were two main reasons for this. The first was their religious backing from the Great Guard faith, while the second was the diverse interests of the worldly powers represented by the organizations under Peng Ru’s supervision.

The religious backing came primarily from the Shrine Maiden, Da Ji, who had authored the Chronicles, a collection of epics and retellings centered on Da Wei’s exploits. She was regarded as the de facto leader of the Great Guard faith, second only to Da Wei himself, whom the faithful worshiped. Radiant Losten was another major source of support. It was a multireligious institution that had deified Da Wei following the liberation of the world and its subsequent transition into a single domain ruled by the Twin Sovereigns.

As for the affiliated organizations, they represented a wide range of worldly powers. Some belonged to the seven seats occupied by the Primaries, while others represented factions from across the Hollowed World, each determined to make its mark and secure its own interests.

There was no nicer way to put it: the world was against Gu Jie.

Ding Cai couldn’t understand what was going through the Empress’s head. Surely Gu Jie knew that the rest of the world would oppose her, yet she had chosen to rise to power anyway.

But then again, perhaps that was precisely why the Tower mattered so much.

The Holy Emperor had always been regarded as a pioneer of new worlds. When the World Council was established, an age of peace and unity ushered the Hollowed World into a new era of discovery, led by adventurers and players. The players, in particular, had contributed enormously to the exploration of uncharted lands and the expansion of the known world. Their efforts allowed distant civilizations to establish contact with one another, opening up opportunities that had once seemed impossible.

Of course, not every encounter had been peaceful. Some civilizations were hostile, while others were simply too ambitious or arrogant for their own good. They went to extraordinary lengths to provoke conflicts, only to be taught their place in the world.

Then the Holy Emperor had taken them to the stars, specifically to the Greater Ghost Realm, also known as the Underworld.

It was an entire universe waiting to be explored, filled with possibilities beyond anything they had previously imagined. The factions that had experienced the rewards of pioneering new frontiers understood how much wealth, knowledge, and power remained undiscovered.

Even after the Greater Ghost Realm was destroyed and remade into a new Underworld within the Hollowed World, people continued to explore that ominous plane. Their pioneering spirit had not diminished.

And now the Tower had appeared, promising access to new worlds and further opportunities for discovery.

Of course, everyone wanted a piece of the action.

“How are things progressing?” Ding Cai asked one of her subordinates.

The warrior of the Fortress of Enlightenment saluted before answering. “Everything is proceeding smoothly, Commander. The players have sworn to keep the information confidential. We’re organizing the supplies now, and several of our people have already gone to collect the remaining shipments. We should be ready to depart as soon as possible.”

“Good. Keep everything moving.”

Hiring players to climb the Tower had been a recent development, and Ding Cai had taken precautions to prevent information from spreading. The last thing she wanted was for Gu Jie to discover what they were doing.

From her observations, players possessed something resembling a hive mind that allowed them to exchange information with astonishing ease. There was no practical way to suppress or eliminate this tendency. Only her master had ever managed to control them to some extent, and Ding Cai suspected that was because he understood them better than anyone else.

So she had adopted the same approach.

Players were chaotic creatures with a remarkable talent for doing the strangest things imaginable. Yet they were also motivated by personal interests, particularly profit. Ding Cai had exploited that tendency by designing their quests so that the rewards diminished as more players participated. The fewer people who knew about the operation, the greater the individual rewards would be.

It was a simple enough incentive to keep their mouths shut, at least for a while.

Outside the manor, several players were already chatting among themselves.

“Did you watch the latest episode? I swear, the writers have completely lost the plot.”

“Forget the show. Have you seen the current meta? That build is completely broken. There’s no way it’s surviving the next patch.”

“Wait, which celebrity was on that program again? The one who got into trouble last week?”

“Who cares? Isn’t there a war going on somewhere right now? I saw something about it before logging in.”

Ding Cai had long since learned to ignore most of their conversations. They were either complete nonsense or so far removed from the context of her world that she couldn’t begin to understand what they were talking about.

Instead, she paid attention to their capabilities.

She had been keeping a close eye on the highest-level players among those recruited for the expedition. From what she could tell, they followed the same leveling system as the Tower. Their levels were already in the two hundreds, which made them valuable assets.

They would make excellent fodder on the front lines.

When Ding Cai stepped outside to address them, the players gradually fell silent and turned toward her.

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“Wait, is that Ding Cai?”

“No way. We’re getting a cutscene?”

“Hold on, hold on! Let me get a screenshot!”

“Is this the quest giver? She’s even prettier in person!”

Ding Cai waited for their excitement to settle, though she knew better than to expect complete silence from them. Once she had their attention, she stepped forward and addressed the assembled players and warriors.

“Warriors of the Fortress of Enlightenment, adventurers, and pioneers! Today, we embark upon a journey into the unknown. Beyond this passage lies the Tower, a place where new worlds await discovery and unimaginable dangers threaten those who dare to venture within. Yet we do not enter merely to seek fortune or glory. We enter because a war is being fought, and the consequences of defeat will reach far beyond the Tower itself.

“An enemy has emerged from the False Earth, threatening the peace and security of our world. If we allow these invaders to advance unchecked, the Hollowed World itself may face calamity. We cannot leave the defense of our homeland to others. We must stand at the frontlines, fight alongside those who have already taken up arms, and drive back the threat before it reaches our doorsteps.

“Today, we become more than explorers. We become defenders of the Hollowed World! Let those who stand against us learn that we will not yield, and let those who come after us remember that we were willing to venture into the unknown for the sake of our world!”

Ding Cai had learned that players preferred speeches that were short and direct, so she had kept hers relatively concise. Naturally, she had embellished the details to stir their enthusiasm, but she hadn’t lied about the danger. Calling the people coming from the False Earth invaders was hardly inaccurate. If the Supreme Void managed to set foot in the Hollowed World, the consequences would be catastrophic.

Her audience, however, seemed far more interested in other matters.

“New map! New map!”

“Finally, a new expansion!”

“Wait, are we getting new loot? Please tell me there’s new loot!”

“Ding Cai! Look over here!”

“Commander Ding! Just one glance! Please!”

“She’s so gorgeous. I’m going to frame this screenshot.”

Some players cheered at the prospect of a new adventure, while others immediately began speculating about rewards and rare equipment. A few simply shouted Ding Cai’s name, desperately trying to get her attention.

The warrior standing beside her looked mortified. “Commander, these people are far too insolent! How dare they behave so disrespectfully in your presence? Allow me to teach them proper etiquette.”

“Calm down,” Ding Cai said, holding up a hand before he could act. “You must not have spent much time around players.”

“But their behavior—”

“This is normal for them.” She chuckled. “Believe me, you haven’t seen anything yet.”

She couldn’t help remembering her master. For all his dignity and authority, Da Wei often behaved much more like a player than he would ever admit. Perhaps that was why he understood them so well.

The estate itself was isolated from the surrounding facilities, protected by thick barrier formations. Unlike most of the research stations around the Tower, it belonged exclusively to the Fortress of Enlightenment.

The other facilities were generally co-owned by multiple factions, often established with academic assistance or financial backing from organizations with the appropriate expertise. The Four Pillars, the Adventurer’s Guild, and even the Ward had full ownership of their respective research stations.

The Fortress of Enlightenment’s arrangement was different, but nobody had questioned it. After all, the organization had been established precisely to train warriors and explore the unknown. Having its own research facility was perfectly reasonable.

Building the estate had been relatively easy, thanks to Ding Cai’s connection with Peng Ru. If her aunt had known that the property contained a direct entrance to the Tower, however, she probably would never have allowed Ding Cai to claim it.

Once the preparations were complete, Ding Cai turned to the assembled expedition.

“Listen carefully. Once we enter the Tower, you must follow the instructions of those responsible for receiving us. The situation beyond the passage is dangerous, and we cannot afford to lose people through carelessness. We are going there to reinforce the frontlines and help defend our world. Do not mistake this expedition for a leisurely adventure.

“Furthermore, understand that there may be no easy way back. I can leave the Tower, but the same cannot be said for the rest of you. Unless we unravel the mysteries that govern this place, you may have to remain inside for a very long time. Anyone who wishes to withdraw should do so now.”

Her warning was met with a mixture of cheers, excited chatter, and a few questions about whether the Tower offered exclusive achievements.

Ding Cai sighed inwardly. At least they hadn’t run away.

She led the expedition deeper into the estate, past guarded corridors and into a hidden basement. At its far end stood a cracked wall that opened directly into a forest.

That was the entrance to the Tower.

Ding Cai approached the passage and circulated her qi, unraveling the barrier formation she had placed over it to conceal the entrance. As the formation dissipated, the path beyond became accessible.

She turned to the waiting warriors and players.

“Move out. Someone will be waiting to receive you on the other side. Follow their instructions, stay alert, and don’t cause unnecessary trouble.”

The expedition obeyed, filing through the opening in an orderly procession. One by one, the warriors and players crossed the threshold and disappeared into the forest beyond.

Ding Cai watched as the entire entourage marched toward the entrance. She knew the warriors she had brought with her well enough, but the same couldn’t be said for the players. Fortunately, her exceptional memory allowed her to remember every face and name in the crowd. It helped that each player’s name hovered above their head, making identification relatively straightforward. The sheer variety of their names had troubled her at first, but she had eventually grown accustomed to them.

Her precautions might have seemed excessive, but players had a tendency to cause trouble when left unsupervised. There had been cases of minor lords and officials attempting to exploit them, believing they understood how players worked, only to find themselves in debt, behind bars, or dead. After all, players weren’t a homogeneous group. Despite their shared peculiarities, they could differ considerably in their temperaments, values, and methods.

Three days passed. Ding Cai escorted successive batches through the hole while waiting for the remaining supplies to arrive. When they finally did, the shipments were accompanied by the elites of the Fortress of Enlightenment. They wore black-and-white robes woven from Ding Cai’s own hair, an idea she had borrowed from her master.

With Ding Cai leading the way, the expedition entered the Tower.

She noticed that the players had already established a perimeter around the area. However, after watching them for a while, she suspected they were less concerned with securing the surroundings than with farming the monsters nearby. She had grown somewhat familiar with player terminology by then. Some of their expressions made sense, while others remained incomprehensible.

The frontlines were around the fiftieth floor, so it would take them some time to reach their destination.

A small army of warriors from the Woodland Fortress awaited them farther along the route. Their leader was old Cheng Bao, a former Guardian who had since become a climber-denizen of the Tower.

“Commander Ding,” Cheng Bao greeted her with a respectful salute. “It’s been a while.”

“Indeed. I’m glad to see you well, Elder Cheng.”

“I heard you were bringing reinforcements and supplies. We’ll accompany you on the journey to the front lines and help you navigate the floors along the way. There are too many dangers for an unfamiliar group to travel safely without a guide.”

“That would be a great help,” Ding Cai replied. “We’ll be counting on you.”

The enemy had done an excellent job infiltrating their ranks. Several sabotage incidents had already pushed the defenders onto the back foot, and they had barely managed to recover each time. Ding Cai could easily imagine the saboteurs arranging an ambush along their route. Having additional reinforcements who knew the terrain was therefore more than welcome.

It didn’t take long for an incident to occur.

“Hello, disciple.”

Ding Cai stopped in her tracks.

A familiar figure appeared before her, translucent and dreamlike. It was a projection of her master.

“Master?” she exclaimed, staring at him in surprise.

“Now, I don’t have much time,” Da Wei said hurriedly. “The qi expenditure required to cast a projection this far across the Tower is a pain in the ass, I’m telling you. Anyway, I need something from you. Can I borrow your Supremacy Trait?”

“Huh? How?”

“Figure it out. Also—”

The dream projection abruptly vanished.

Ding Cai stood there in stunned silence.

What the hell was that supposed to mean?