This Spiritual Energy is Lethal!

Chapter 70: Chapter 070 Shortcut

The joy of acquiring new abilities did not last long, for Chen Ke immediately realized that if other assassins also had this life countdown, they were likely to possess the same ability as him.

Although he was still unsure whether this bizarre ability was instilled by Si’s consortium, it wouldn’t hurt to be cautious. The true meaning behind this life-limiting shackle still needed clarification from Pankia.

He took out his phone, intending to record his current abilities in the notepad for future reference and research, but hesitated and turned off the notepad instead.

In the era of the internet, any information you leave online can be easily obtained by service providers. Your shopping and payment records reveal your income and interests, while your travel logs and social activity expose your social network and living environment.

Large corporations decide what ads to push to you and what level of service to provide based on these data. Based on your income, social status, age, hospitals might even decide whether your cancer is worth treating or how long you have to wait for an organ transplant.

The data you leave behind is worth more than you as a person, such is the essence of the internet age.

Even when your phone is connected to the internet, the front camera could be eerily activated, allowing the big consortia to gather your iris and facial data.

Chen Ke still remembered in the world he lived in, some manufacturers, in pursuit of screen-to-body ratio, had launched phones with pop-up front cameras. When some apps secretly activated the front camera, users would notice their cameras popping up by themselves, revealing for the first time that companies could start recording information without permission.

Not just cameras, but also microphones, speakers… any sensor on the phone that could collect external information could be used for no reason. Perhaps you joked about switching phones with a friend, and the next time you opened a webpage, there would be ads for new phones. Or if your daughter complained about a toothache, you would then frequently see ads for dental extractions. This is capitalism’s approach to making money, shamelessly invading your privacy.

This world was still in 2009, not 2019, and mobile networks weren’t so advanced, but better safe than sorry, especially since the things he needed to record were too bizarre. He didn’t want anyone to know, so it seemed better to carry a small notebook and ballpoint pen.

Now, at least, he owned a Transcendent Skill, and in combination with the Life Engine, he could make a seemingly weak skill have a tremendous effect. If he encountered other Spiritual Ability Users, he would be confident enough for a confrontation.

The only unclear thing was: what determined the power of a Spiritual Ability User’s skill when activated? Was it merely through Holy Relics like that black candelabrum? Or did they have other ways to enhance their skills?

He didn’t know yet, but Chen Ke believed he would eventually find the answers.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated on Ɲ0νǤᴑ.ƈο

He picked up the Fire-igniting Broadsword that was blown away and was about to return through the small passage when something strange in the corner of his eye caught his attention.

A column of light pouring from a round hole above in the cave flashed a black shadow, as if something was peering down from above.

What was above that round hole? Chen Ke was curious, and looked up.

There, peering curiously down from the hole, was a silhouette. However, the hole was too high from the cave floor, probably leaving the person above to see only darkness below.

Chen Ke suddenly thought of something and shouted upwards, “Parker?”

“Huh? Who?!” The person above was taken aback but replied.

“Parker, is that you?” Chen Ke raised his voice and called out.

“Chen Ke?! What are you doing down there in the well?” It was indeed Parker, and his tone was full of surprise.

“It’s a long story, but I’ve found a safe place. Can you come here?” Chen Ke called loudly.

“Sure, I just noticed those ash zombies are roaming further out, and I was looking for you! The safe place you’re talking about, it isn’t inside this well, is it?” Parker sounded both excited and puzzled.

“Of course not. I found a church. I came here through a small passage from the church’s kitchen. If you follow that path all the way, you’ll find a slope you can go down…” Chen Ke told Parker the way to the church.

“That sounds like a long way. Are you sure it’s safe?” Parker asked.

“I didn’t run into anything strange, just a bit dark. It should take about half an hour to get to the church,” Chen Ke said.

“How deep is this well? I can’t see you; it’s too dark. If it’s not too deep, I could jump down,” Parker, in his impatience, didn’t seem to want to take the long route.

“Don’t! I’d say it’s about the height of a six-story building… You’d fall to your death…” Chen Ke quickly intercepted.

“Is there a ladder or anything?” Parker was somewhat reluctant to give up.

“Stop joking, there’s only an underground river below and the depth isn’t sufficient; you’d still fall to your death in the river. Just run for it, man!” Chen Ke insisted.

“Alright…alright… Wait for me, Chen Ke. I’ll head to the church right away,” Parker said and left the well.

So, that hole was the same abandoned well Chen Ke had seen earlier in the village ruins. If there was a rope or something, it could indeed be used as a shortcut to the church’s main hall.

Chen Ke returned to the kitchen from the passage, then entered the church’s main hall. At the end of the hall, staircases on both sides led downward; one was a stone corridor going down the outside of the mountain wall, the other inside the church building to the lower floors.

Chen Ke chose not to continue exploring. He decided to first meet up with Parker in the church’s main hall to explain things. Parker hadn’t yet seen Brother Discouraged.

Backtrack to the church main hall.

Parker sat in a pew in the first row, near the statue of the goddess, aimlessly staring at the ceiling, sighing with boredom. Brother Discouraged also maintained the same pose as if he had seen through everything, sitting at the entrance of the passage.

Seeing Chen Ke walk in, Parker lit up with excitement at the sight of the only familiar person in this Great Void. Chen Ke sat next to Parker, placing the two swords on the bench beside them.

Parker glanced at Brother Discouraged, then asked in a low voice, “Chen Ke, what’s with the guy at the entrance…?”

“Don’t know, just leave him be,” Chen Ke shook his head.

“What did he mean by ‘the cycle’? Is he from the Administration Bureau?” Parker was still curious.

Chen Ke was taken aback; it seemed that Brother Discouraged was like a broken record, repeating similar things to anyone. Moreover, for some reason, Chen Ke felt contradictions within Brother Discouraged but couldn’t pinpoint where exactly the contradiction lay.