Death… And Me

Chapter 4418: Not Too Long Now

The twins’ group continued their cultivation without paying any attention to the outside world. Roan had already given Tobao and Arcis the idea. From that point onward, it was entirely up to the two Law Gods to decide how to put it into practice.

The days quietly passed as preparations moved forward across the Besgol Region. The locations for the competitions were finalized, the registration period opened and closed, and, before long, the official announcement came. The competitions would begin one week later.

---

Three days before the start...

Sontuke, a Middle Stage Zone God, received a summons from the Godly Subjugation Guild together with a group of Late Stage Aura Gods under his command. The mission had been classified as confidential, so no details were given beforehand. Instead, everyone was instructed to report directly to the Guild Branch.

As soon as Sontuke entered the assigned room, he was surprised to find Tobao waiting there personally. The Aura Gods behind him were no less shocked.

”Good, you are here,” Tobao greeted with his usual calm smile before placing a sealed box on the table. ”Take this.”

Sontuke accepted it without hesitation, although the weight alone told him very little.

”You are to transport this box to the capital of Palanx Country,” Tobao explained. ”Once there, deliver it directly into the hands of the Branch Guild Master of the Godly Subjugation Guild. No one else is allowed to receive it.”

Sontuke instinctively extended his Celestial Sense toward the container, only to discover that the seal completely blocked any inspection. ”Se-Senior Tobao... what exactly is inside?”

Instead of answering, Tobao smiled faintly. ”What do you think it is?”

Sontuke drew a slow breath. Considering the timing, the destination, and the fact that Tobao himself had personally entrusted him with the mission, only one possibility came to mind. ”Th-The Godly Apex Crystal...”

Tobao neither confirmed nor denied it immediately. His smile simply widened a little. ”You may leave now. Just remember to place it directly into the Branch Guild Master’s hands.”

Sontuke, however, remained where he stood.

Seeing the hesitation on his face, Tobao asked gently, ”Is there something else, son?”

”There is...” Sontuke admitted with an awkward expression. ”Why transport something so valuable by land? Wouldn’t using the Teleport Array be much safer? I know teleportation costs a fortune, but compared to the value of a Godly Apex Crystal, the price should be insignificant.”

Tobao slowly shook his head. ”Do you think I didn’t consider that already? We tested it beforehand, but the Teleport Arrays simply cannot support the existence of a Godly Apex Crystal. The spatial transfer collapses before the teleportation process even begins. We have no choice but to transport them normally.”

Sontuke blinked several times. He had never heard of such a limitation before, but neither had he ever heard of a Godly Apex Crystal in Besgol either. Since he had no knowledge to contradict Tobao, he naturally accepted the explanation.

Even so, another question remained. ”I understand... but why entrust such an important mission to me? Wouldn’t it be safer if Senior Tobao delivered it personally?”

”I am delivering crystals personally,” Tobao replied without the slightest impatience, showing another three boxes. ”I will be responsible for three of them myself, while Arcis will transport another three. However, all ten competitions begin at exactly the same time. We cannot possibly be everywhere at once.”

He continued before Sontuke could interrupt. ”Every Late Stage and Peak Stage Zone God is already occupied preparing for the competitions, which leaves very few suitable candidates. That is why you were selected. Besides, this mission has been kept completely confidential. Only those who absolutely need to know have been informed.”

The atmosphere suddenly became much heavier.

Tobao’s smile faded, and his normally gentle eyes turned unexpectedly serious. ”Naturally, I have also made the proper preparations inside that sealed box. Do not even think about trying to steal the crystal.”

His voice remained calm. ”I would know.”

Sontuke immediately bowed. ”A-Absolutely not, Senior! I wouldn’t dare!”

The pressure vanished just as quickly as it had appeared. ”I know you wouldn’t,” Tobao said with another gentle smile. ”Now go. Palanx is still quite far away, and the competitions begin in only three days.”

”Yes, Senior Tobao!”

Without wasting another second, Sontuke left together with the Aura Gods assigned to accompany him. Only a few minutes later, an airplane departed from the Guild Branch, carrying the priceless cargo toward Palanx Country.

Tobao watched the aircraft disappear into the distance before activating his RC.

He quietly issued several instructions, left the building through another exit, and headed directly toward the Guild’s Teleport Array.

He didn’t hesitate to pay the enormous fee.

Moments later, he had already disappeared.

---

Several hours later, Tobao arrived in another country and entered yet another branch of the Godly Subjugation Guild. After reaching the meeting room prepared for him, he connected to his RC once more.

’Send her.’

Only a few minutes passed before the doors opened again.

A female cultivator entered together with another group of Aura Gods, all of whom respectfully bowed toward Tobao.

”We received the summons regarding the confidential mission, Senior. How may we assist you?”

Her name was Juhua, another Middle Stage Zone God.

Without any unnecessary conversation, Tobao retrieved another identical sealed box and handed it to her. ”Deliver this to the Branch Guild Master of the Godly Subjugation Guild in Palanx Country. Remember, it must be delivered directly into his hands.”

Just like Sontuke before her, Juhua instinctively tried to inspect the contents through her Celestial Sense.

The seal blocked everything.

She looked back at Tobao with obvious curiosity. ”Senior... what exactly is inside?”

Tobao merely smiled. ”What do you think it is?”

---

Later that same day, Tobao appeared in another country and repeated the exact same procedure.

Another confidential mission.

Another sealed box.

Another Middle Stage Zone God.

Another escort departing under the impression that they alone were transporting one of the priceless Godly Apex Crystals toward Palanx Country.

Then another country.

The same confidential orders.

The same carefully prepared explanation.

The same warning never to even think about opening the box.

And then another.

Before long, Tobao had already crossed several countries, assigning identical missions one after another without the slightest change in expression.

Meanwhile, Arcis was doing exactly the same thing elsewhere throughout the Besgol Region.

The only real difference was the destination.

Instead of Palanx Country, every cultivator he selected was ordered to deliver the sealed box to the Branch Guild Master stationed in Runual Country.

Each recipient believed they had been entrusted with one of the precious Godly Apex Crystals. Each accepted the mission with complete seriousness, never suspecting that dozens of nearly identical assignments had already been handed out elsewhere.

Those chosen for the missions all asked almost the same questions, and Tobao and Arcis gave almost identical answers every single time.

To every escort, the assignment appeared unique. They believed only a select handful of people knew about the crystal they were supposedly protecting, making the mission feel even more confidential.

Yet, if someone had been able to observe the movements of every escort team throughout the Besgol Region, they would have noticed something rather strange.

Every single group dispatched by Tobao was ultimately heading toward Palanx Country.

Every single group dispatched by Arcis was making its way toward Runual Country.

That obviously made no sense.

Each competition venue would only receive one Godly Apex Crystal. There was no reason dozens of different escorts should all believe they were transporting one to the exact same destination.

The answer, of course, was simple.

None of those boxes actually contained a Godly Apex Crystal.

They merely believed they did.

Throughout the entire day, Tobao and Arcis continued repeating the process without pause. They teleported from country to country, handed over another sealed box, issued the same instructions, answered the same questions, and immediately departed for the next location.

By the time evening arrived, more than fifty different escort teams had unknowingly begun carrying out the exact same ”secret mission,” all converging toward only two destinations.

Only after the last team had departed did Tobao finally activate his RC once again. ’How are things on your side?’

Arcis answered almost immediately. ’I sent them all. It shouldn’t take long before someone bites the bait.’