Chapter 67: Collector

What an audacity it is to make a dark overlord a part of one’s collection.

If such nonsensical rumors were heard elsewhere, these people would definitely slap someone across the face. What kind of bull are they talking about!

However, at this moment, they are witnessing it with their own eyes, and it directly causes their worldview to collapse and reform.

There is no slight fluctuation of psychic energy, yet it achieves the terrifying capability of tampering with the rules as if by just saying it makes it so.

All the beast tamers present do not understand what they saw—unable to discern whether this is some kind of special curse beast with possession abilities, or if this person’s psychic energy is already beyond their comprehension.

Could every action they are witnessing be taking place in a higher dimension?

Just like characters in a story never know what the author writing them is doing, their lives are like puppets on strings, unable to break the fourth wall and see the real world.

Ignorance and powerlessness are their most profound feelings at this moment.

What shocks them even more is

from the casual demeanor of this mysterious yellow-robed masked person, it seems that this might just be the latest addition to his collection—not the strongest!

Could it be…

That there are collections above overlords?

Just who is this guy!?

“It’s a good thing there’s no malice…”

Sun Jie feels a sense of relief after the shock, sensing that he has narrowly escaped a disaster.

This mysterious “Collector,” though enigmatic and treats demons as collectibles, doesn’t slaughter indiscriminately and even expresses apologies to them.

When people of different statuses say the same words, the effects are quite different.

For example, when Sun Jie heard the apology, his first reaction was to feel flattered, sensing the other’s noble air, as if having observed the vicissitudes of the world over many long years.

The more powerful one is, the more they revere life.

Although it’s unclear whether he is human, one thing is for sure—he is a neutral and powerful entity!

It’s just unknown what his purpose in coming here is.

However, what he doesn’t know is that the big shot he thought he understood, watching the relaxed atmosphere, couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief and murmured to himself in his heart:

“I finally bluffed my way through!”

And the Little Hamster underneath his robe is trembling all over. However, it’s not out of fear, but excitement. With its cute, round, black eyes and little paws waving, it shouts excitedly through mental connection:

“Restorer, you’re so… so amazing! You resolved the crisis so easily, and you’ve almost completely fooled them. You are the god of Little Hamster!!!”

Even though it’s through mental connection, the voice is so loud it’s causing his eardrums to hurt, and he has to quickly soothe the Little Hamster’s emotions.

Otherwise, he would have been overwhelmed!

Little Spider then gently strokes its back like a kind big sister taking care of a simple-minded little sister.

The Little Hamster quickly quiets down, but the heaving of its chest shows the unrest inside of it; its admiration for Lu Yu has reached its peak.

After an accidental tremble of the hand earlier, the Little Hamster felt so guilty it nearly wanted to die, continuously crying and apologizing, ready to forcibly take him away from this dangerous place.

However, Lu Yu stopped it and went straight for turning the tables.

Explanation?

What nonsense!

The more lies you tell, the more gaps you leave. With his level of lying, he would surely be seen through by these people, and then the trouble would only continue to increase.

Therefore, Lu Yu decided to flip the script and wrote a new one.

You think I’m a cultist of the Evil God’s mutation? Wrong, I’m just an ordinary collector!

He had the Little Hamster pretend to be an “escaped dark overlord monster” and then staged a scene in which he suppressed the world-shaking monster with a few words.

The inspiration for the script came from ‘Journey to the West’, where the deities in heaven capture their own mounts.

The reason there are no psychic power fluctuations is because it’s all fake; after all, if his genuine psychic abilities had been revealed, wouldn’t the game be up?

So, he went with a performance without any real substance…

The Little Hamster, in order to make amends, used the peak performance of its life, playing the part of struggling in pain while hovering in mid-air.

A truly natural performance!

As a result, he fooled the group before him, especially since Lu Yu left them with a great deal of imaginative space, letting them fill in the reasons themselves.

However, because the Little Hamster’s expressions were too exaggerated, Lu Yu had to finish earlier to prevent them from catching on.

As for why he introduced the concept of “collection,” this was a spur-of-the-moment idea he blurted out.

Looking back, it wasn’t wrong. After all, as the Creator of Secret Foods and the Lord of the Portal, whether it’s the Evil Gods or the void world, they are but materials, his future collectibles.

Through many a fortunate coincidence, he accidentally gave himself a reasonable identity, a new pseudonym…

Collector!

“Maybe after I’ve made a name for myself, I could win without fighting.”

Lu Yu muses internally, not forgetting that his purpose for coming here was to purchase information about the Barbarian Ants and buy some needed items.

If the standoff continues, it might even affect tonight’s black market or lead to an abrupt end.

But the key point is…

He can’t just outright say it.

How low would that be!

He’s really lacking in savvy; doesn’t he know to invite me? If he doesn’t speak up, I’ll have to make a run for it and then come back after taking off the robe.

As a result, Lu Yu can only add: “It seems I’ve disturbed your gathering.”

As soon as the words were spoken, the atmosphere in the entire place froze.

Who dares to respond to that?

If you take the other person’s courtesy seriously, you might just be pressed to death if you speak carelessly!

Under Lu Yu’s expectant gaze, Sun Jie finally speaks up and shows a composed smile:

“You are too kind, sir. It should be we who have disturbed your… collection. Please be sure to attend tonight’s night market. I would like to offer you my hospitality to make amends for the earlier disturbance. You might find something of interest.”

Lu Yu nods slightly, not saying much, maintaining the demeanor of a strong character.

Sun Jie is delighted that he agreed; it’s good news. Whether human or not, it is always wise to have many friends and fewer enemies.

This is the way of the world!

Moreover, such a strong individual must have many treasures on him; there might be surprises at tonight’s mutual aid meeting.

So, he waves his hand, and hundreds of ghostfire lanterns form a huge lantern carriage around the core of the Ghost Soul Lantern, inviting Lu Yu to ride it to the night market in a grand procession amidst the envious eyes of many.

The remaining ghostfire lanterns continue to guide other visitors.

Whether it is their first time or they are regulars of the black market, they now know that besides walking in, they can take a carriage!

This is so much more upscale than taking the Ghostfire Path!

After all, one is about undergoing a trial, while the other is about being respectfully ushered in. Compared to the beast tamers from before, it is like the difference between the glow of fireflies and the brightness of the noonday sun.

“It’s over…” Qi Changhai breathes a sigh of relief and quickly asks the two children, “Are you all okay?”

Yu Xiyang shakes her head calmly, not showing much fear, but the more she looks at the “Collector,” the more familiar he feels.

Could he be one of the few who, in countless simulations, will start an era in the future?

Qi Changhai is relieved to see that Yu Xiyang is okay, then looks over to his son, who seems to have been frightened into a daze, standing still. He sighs inwardly.

He wanted to bring them out to see the world, but he didn’t expect to encounter such a powerful figure and the psychological shadow that Lu Yu left behind for his son.

No sooner had one shadow been removed than another larger one invoked.

He thinks to himself, “This blow is too much even for me, let alone this boy. It looks like when we return, I’ll have to find him a psychic-type healer for counseling…”

Qi Changhai thinks this sadly without noticing that the eyes under his own son’s mask are getting brighter and brighter!

As Qi Wei watches the yellow-robed figure dominate the entire black market, only three words remain in his mind.

So cool!

Compared to the other beast tamer strongmen before, although powerful, they lacked this unique overwhelming presence.

The reason he admired Lu Yu was because he was crushed and dominated again and again in tactical combats; it was the suffocating power he longed for!

That’s why he was furious when Lu Yu gave up on himself because he represented not just himself but the ideal that Qi Wei aspired to!

At this moment

He suddenly realizes, what’s the big deal with Lu Yu?

Indeed, as his father said, Lu Yu could only be domineering in school. Compared to the strong men in the outside world, he was too small and too naive!

Now his idol is the “Collector”!

Whether it’s the minions of the Evil Gods or powerful demons, they are just his collection pieces!

This is the real domineering presence!